Revised National Planning Policy Framework and Consultation

Just before Christmas the government launched a consultation on their recently published revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). 

What is the NPPF? 

The NPPF sets out the government’s economic, social, and environmental planning policies for England, and how these are expected to be applied. This is important because it must be taken into account when local authorities create local plans, which in turn guide the decision-making of local planning authorities. In other words, the NPPF underpins all local planning. 

If the NPPF is done right, members will find it easier to build warehouses, driving up industry standards and growing our sector and the economy.  

This latest draft of the NPPF includes specific references to logistics, an outcome of the 2024 Freight and Planning Call for Evidence. UKWA responded to this consultation, which you can read here. We are pleased that the revised NPPF states that ‘substantial weight’ is given to freight and logistics developments and that provision is included for allocating sites to meet existing and anticipated needs. 

Any changes to the NPPF are especially relevant to the warehousing sector, as we often hear from members how difficult it is to gain planning permission when seeking to build new warehouses. 

As a sector, warehousing is far too often overlooked despite the sizeable contribution we make to the UK economy. Our £28.5bn sector is larger than the hotel industry and drinks manufacturing. It is therefore a positive step forward that logistics is recognised and appreciated in this revised NPPF, especially given that it was not always the case that logistics was included in previous NPPFs. 

How you can get involved 

We will be taking the views of our property & planning advisory board, but we are also very keen to hear the views of our wider membership. If you have any thoughts on the revised NPPF, or planning in general, please email policy@ukwa.org.uk . The corresponding questions in the consultation document to the sections of the NPPF cited above, are numbers 84-86. Equally, if you have any questions about the NPPF or you would like to learn more, please email policy@ukwa.org.uk .